2008 Chevrolet SUBURBAN problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
213 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
85,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 113 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 96 of 213 complaints (45.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 9 | 4.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 3.3% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 1.9% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 1.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 1.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 96 |
| Unknown Or Other | 38 |
| Engine | 25 |
| Electrical System | 22 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 19 |
| Structure:Body | 14 |
| Structure | 8 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 7 |
Air Bags: 96; Unknown Or Other: 38; Engine: 25; Electrical System: 22; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 19; Structure:Body: 14; Structure: 8; Structure:Body:Door: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 18 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 24 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 23 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 34 |
| 150,000 and above | 12 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 23; 100,000 to 149,999: 34; 150,000 and above: 12
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (34). 100 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 16 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 14 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 29 |
| 2017 | 40 |
| 2018 | 22 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2010: 6; 2011: 16; 2012: 8; 2013: 9; 2014: 14; 2015: 11; 2016: 29; 2017: 40; 2018: 22; 2019: 24; 2020: 16; 2021: 9; 2022: 3; 2023: 4; 2024: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10319809 · 2010-03-22 (March 22, 2010)
2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY FROM A STANDING START TO ENTER THE TRAFFIC LANE AHEAD OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM THE LEFT. HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL QUICKLY, THEN LET UP, BUT THE ENGINE RPM CONTINUED TO CLIMB, AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WERE FULLY DEPRESSED. UPON HEARING THE ENGINE CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN, AND FEELING THE VEHICLE SURGE FORWARD, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE WITH FULL FORCE, USING BOTH FEET AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN BRIN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10319809 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10442379 · 2012-01-04 (January 4, 2012)
DRIVING THE CAR ON CITY STREET, LET OFF GAS TO SLOW DOWN, ENGINE SHUDDERS, THE INSTRUMENT CONSOLE FLASHES, INDICATES ENGINE POWER DECREASING, THE RADIO STOPS WORKING, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER, THE STABILITRAC INDICATES IT NEEDS TO BE SERVICED, GIVES REAR CAMERA/TOWING WARNING, THE ENGINE DIES, BRAKES ARE LOST. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ENGINES DIES STARTER WILL NOT CRANK. THE CAR WILL START AGAIN AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. AFTER A DRIVE OF ABOUT 4 MILES PARKED CAR AND STARTED NEXT MORNING--CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS OFF. ENGINE …
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10442379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10436182 · 2011-11-17 (November 17, 2011)
BATTERY GOES DEAD EVERY THIRD DAY THAT THE TRUCK IS NOT USED. BATTERY IS GOOD. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436182 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10552006 · 2013-11-12 (November 12, 2013)
AIR BAG LIGHT, DOOR LOCKS, TRACTION CONTROL, RADIO, AND MANY OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FLICKER ON AND OFF. ENGINE VIBRATES AND THEN DIES. WILL NOT START BACK UP UNTIL SOME PERIOD OF TIME GOES BY. ALWAYS DIFF AND HAPPENS IN ALL TEMPS AND DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHEN IN GARAGE ALL NIGHT WILL NOT START IN THE AM. VERY INTERMITTENT. WE HAVE BEEN STRANDED WITH KIDS 5 TIMES AND HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 4 MONTHS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 47,480 miles reported. Look up ODI 10552006 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10683694 · 2015-02-16 (February 16, 2015)
MY 2008 CHEVY SUBURBAN WITH 94,000 MILES STALLED WHILE IN TRAFFIC TRAVELING AT ABOUT 20 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. I LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO COAST IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR A SHORT TIME IT DID RESTART AGAIN BUT ONLY TO STALL AGAIN AFTER THE CAR RAN FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES AGAIN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 20 MPH. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR HAS FAILED. WHILE MY VIN AND YEAR IS NOT COVERED, THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL ON THIS CONDITION (GM RECALL NO. 06083.). THIS IS A VERY DANGE…
Owner-reported narrative. 94,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683694 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10855514 · 2016-04-14 (April 14, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10855514 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10818210 · 2016-01-05 (January 5, 2016)
I HAVE SEVERAL CRACKS IN MY DASHBOARD. I TOOK MY CAR TO DON RINGLER CHEVROLET IN TEMPLE, TX AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND THAT IT WAS NOT RECALLED NOR COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY ENTIRE DASH MOVES WHEN YOU TOUCH IT AND I'M AFRAID THAT EITHER THE AIRBAGS WILL GO OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING OR WON'T DEPLOY IF I AM IN A WRECK. THESE CRACKS HAVE INCREASED IN SIZE OVER TIME. THE SMALL ONE IS THE NEWEST CRACK THAT APPEARED OVER CHRISTMAS. I FIRST DISCOVERED THE CRACK RIGHT ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL IN FEBRUARY 2010. AT THE TIME, …
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10818210 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10819969 · 2016-01-13 (January 13, 2016)
THE DASHBOARD HAS A SERIES OF MAJOR CRACKS FORWARD OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND A NUMBER OF CRACKS AROUND THE PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG. THE DASHBOARD SEEMS EXTREMELY BRITTLE AND IS NOW QUITE "FLIMSY" AND VIBRATES AND/OR BOUNCES UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER TIME. WE HAVE NOT PHYSICALLY BEEN IN THE VEHICLE WHEN A CRACK FORMED OR PROPAGATED. IT APPEARS THAT THE DASHBOARD WOULD LIKELY SHATTER UPON IMPACT THUS THROWING SHRAPNEL THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10819969 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10587971 · 2014-05-13 (May 13, 2014)
2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE MANUFACTURER DUE TO NUMEROUS VEHICLE REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN ROUGH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE SERVICE STABILITRAK AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN SOME OF THE CYLINDERS SHUT DOWN, THE LIFTERS WERE NOT PROPERLY LUBRICATED, CAUSING THEM TO FAIL. THE ENGINE CONSUMED LARGE AMOUNTS OF OIL. THERE WERE NOISES COMING FROM THE OIL PAN AND TRANSMISSION AREA, 3 OF THE 4 DOOR LOCKS ACTUATORS WERE REPLACED, THE REAR…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10587971 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11252979 · 2019-09-03 (September 3, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 9-5466810529. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,600.
Owner-reported narrative. 34,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11252979 at NHTSA ↗